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Morrison Hotel, Chicago (USA)
With a slogan like “The Hotel of Perfect Service,” what could go wrong? In the Loop, the hotel opened in 1925 but demolished in 1965 and replaced by the First National Bank Building, now Chase Tower. Wikipedia tells us that “Standing 160m high, the Morrison Hotel was the first building outside of New York City to have more than 40 floors,” and “At the time of its razing, it was the tallest building to have ever been demolished anywhere in the world.” And of course on the front is the legend, “Worlds tallest hotel”. The card was mailed in 1929, with two stamps and postmark. Really very nice. Grade: 2
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Edgewater Beach Hotel, Chicago
The Edgewater Beach Hotel and Edgewater Beach Yacht Club, and its “Most distinctive cocktail room in America,” are gone. But two unused postcards live on, in good condition and priced lower than our competition. (We checked.) Grades: 1
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Chicago, Michigan Avenue, Lake Front, showing Auditorium Hotel
Mailed in 1909 with stamp and postmarks on front and back. Grade: 3
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The Morrison Hotel, Chicago
See also our #10114134. This unused card is from the hotel itself, proudly claiming “Every room with bath, circulating ice water, grille-protected servidor”. Iconic. Grade: 1
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Auditorium Hotel, Chicago
As we’ve noted, the building went up in 1889 and while this unused E.C. Kropp card 830 looks that old, it should be from a few years later — not many, though. It has a short pencilled message on the reverse. Grade: 3
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Chicago, The Lawson Y.M.C.A., Main Lobby
Why is it when we see “YMCA” we only think of The Village People? This building has undergone some recent transitions; the unused Curteichcolor card 0DK-836 is as it was, though aging. Grade: 2
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Thomas Hotel, Chicago Heights (Illinois, USA)
The 1920s were golden years for Chicago, and the Thomas Hotel was one stellar part of that era. If you look for early photos, some show “Thomas” in the sign at the top; some don’t. The card was mailed in 1939, when the bubble had really burst. Stamp and postmark are there, and a laconic message. Grade: 2
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The Lawson Y.M.C.A., Chicago
See also our entry 30900710. Now we know why. Unused Curteichcolor card 4C-K825. Grade: 2
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Congress Hotel, Chicago (USA)
Now the Congress Plaza Hotel (as of 1908!), the 1893 building is still there and rumoured to be Chicago’s most haunted–in particular, by Al Capone. Now there’s a story for you. The card was mailed in 1913, with stamp and full postmark. A hotel postcard collector’s gem. Grade: 3
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The Stevens, Chicago
Wow, a lot of history here. Wikipedia says: The hotel originally opened in 1927 as the Stevens Hotel, across Balbo Street from the older Blackstone Hotel. At the time, the Stevens was the largest hotel in the world. And now? It’s The Hilton Chicago, a landmark that overlooks Grant Park, Lake Michigan, and the Museum Campus. It is the third-largest hotel in Chicago by number of guest rooms and has housed every president of the United States since its opening in 1927. As a bonus, inside the stamp area of this unused card, it says “Hand to Floor Clerk for Free Mailing”. We’re tempted. Grade: 2
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Spring Mill Inn, Mitchell (Indiana, USA)
A soldier just discharged, and a happy wife writing in 1946 during the reunion. Stamp and postmark OK. Grade: 2
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Club Med, Mauritius
Mailed in 2014, with stamp and postmark. Grade: 1
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Queen’s Hotel, Montreal
Ancient B&W card mailed in 1907, with stamp and postmarks from sending and receiving stations. We continue to marvel at how postcards could make an international journey in one day, more than 100 years ago. Grade: 1
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Conrad Hong Kong, poolside
Earlier in the website, we have other cards of this same hotel, identified as “Conrad International”. We think the hotel (still there) is international enough, but they no longer use that name. Unused. Grade: 1
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Conrad Hong Kong, room interior
Earlier in the website, we have other cards of this same hotel, identified as “Conrad International”. We think the hotel (still there) is international enough, but they no longer use that name. Unused. Grade: 1
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Conrad Hong Kong, lobby
Earlier in the website, we have other cards of this same hotel, identified as “Conrad International”. We think the hotel (still there) is international enough, but they no longer use that name. Unused. Grade: 1
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Conrad Hong Kong, exterior
Earlier in the website, we have other cards of this same hotel, identified as “Conrad International”. We think the hotel (still there) is international enough, but they no longer use that name. Unused. Grade: 1
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Nara Hotel (Japan)
This card and 20311293 are being listed separately, but they were sent together (probably in an envelope, no stamp or postmark or address) a long time ago. Handwritten messages fill the backs of both cards, which were issued by (and attributed to) the Nara Hotel. Individually, each card is Grade: 4. If you want both, the price for the two would be $5.
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Paignton, Hotel Redcliffe (England)
Not really surprisingly for England, the hotel is still there and gets good reviews. We wish we could go and stay there for a couple of days and give them this card as a tip for good service! Mailed in 1913, stamp and postmark are there. Grade: 2
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Midhurst, “The Varlet,” Spread Eagle Hotel A.D. 1650 (England)
We’ll make two assumptions about this unused old sepia card: (1) the hotel dates from 1650, not the card; and (2) it is, somehow, the same hotel now shown in search engines as the Spread Eagle Hotel and Spa. The online photos look nothing like this card, but after so many years that should not be a big surprise. Grade: 1
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Unterwasser, Kulturhotel Seeguetli (Switzerland)
Mailed in 2013, with stamp, Priority label, and postmark. Grade: 1
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Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Strip, night exterior
Unused card. Grade: 1
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Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Strip, pool
Unused card. Grade: 1
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Mafra – SC – multiple views (Brazil)
Did you know this city is known for its honey? Now you do. Unused card with faint brown spots in two reverse corners. The three views are: 1) panoramic vista, 2) Hotel e Cine Teatro Imacite (for this category), and 3) Estadio Alfredo Herbst (Mafra Atletico Clube). Grade: 2
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Serra Negra – SP – Chales Hotel Fazenda Vale do Sol (Brazil)
Unused card. Grade: 1
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Hotel Arturo Prat, Iquique (Chile)
The hotel: it’s still there, and gets reasonable online reviews. The card: unused, aging and a bit battered but a relic of its time. Grade: 3
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El Panama Hilton
Unused vintage postcard of this “fabulous new hotel”. Grade: 1
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Acuarelas de Asunción, Hotel Guarani (Paraguay)
Acuarelas = Watercolours, on this unused card whose views include Palace of the Government, National Pantheon, and Guarani Hotel. Captioned in Spanish, English, and German. The card is clean but aging. Grade: 2
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Hotel New Hankyu, Osaka (Japan)
Cards like this are nice because they go out of date so quickly — though in Japan, maybe less so. Four unused cards are available. Grades: 1
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Howard Beach Resort, Kenting (Taiwan)
Something here for everyone if you can get Taiwan’s fickle weather to cooperate. Unused card. Grade: 2
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The Blackstone, Lobby showing elevators (Chicago, USA)
Very old (and heavily aged) unused card of what is now called Renaissance Blackstone Chicago Hotel, with generally good reviews. We like it when hotels survive. As for the postcard, yes, it is a bit blurry. Grade: 2
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The Sands Motel, Chicago (USA)
Two of these unused Curteichcolor cards 6C-K501 are available. Had we been the designers, we might have included motel contact details in the caption, but maybe it was such a famous property at the time, that wasn’t necessary? Grades: 1
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Montreaux – Palace (Switzerland)
Now the Fairmont Le Montreaux Palace, with predictably good online reviews, but this card comes from earlier days, real-photo mailed with stamp and not-quite-legible postmark. Abrasions all around the front. Grade: 4
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Foz do Iguaçu, Hotel de Turismo, Cataratas de Iguaçu (Brazil)
This unmailed 4″ x 7-1/8″ card is just like so many others we have listed under “Argentina,” and the card was made in Argentina (Grafica, No. 1607), but the caption is in Portuguese and clearly says “Brasil”. Yes, we know the falls span both countries. Just wanted to point out what the card says — also that it is postally unmailed, but with a 1973 message on the reverse. Grade: 4
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Nine views (Argentina)
All nine views are identified (Spanish only) in the caption. These include El Hongo, Parque Nac. Ischigualasto in San Juan; Faro del Fin del mundo (Ushuaia); Puerto Panuelo (Rio Negro); Hotel Llao Llao in Bariloche; Purmamarca (Jujuy); Iguazu Falls; Cabo Corrientes (Mar del Plata); Tilcara (Jujuy); and Glaciar Perito Moreno in Patagonia. This will keep the search engines busy. Unused. Grade: 1
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Hotel Bella Vista, Bariloche (Argentina)
This very old, unused card has no printing on the back at all. We did a search to see if the hotel is still there, and it seems to be — though it looks like the area all around it is built up. Grade: 1
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Hotel Llao Llao, Bariloche (Argentina)
Hotel Llao Llao is still there, not cheap, and gets wonderful reviews. This old and unused 4-1/8″ x 7-1/8″ card is heavily aged but otherwise undamaged. Grade: 3
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Bariloche, Llao-Llao, Lake Moreno, Mount Tronador, Civic Center (Argentina)
An unused “value” entry for you. The back is very heavily fingermarked and stained. Grade: 5
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Bariloche, Panoramic view of Llao-Llao, and Lakes Moreno and Nahuel Huapi (Argentina)
Unused 4-1/8″ x 7″ card. Beginning to age. Grade: 1 (weak)
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Buenos Aires, night panorama – Hotel Sheraton, Plaza Britanica
Unused 4″ x 7″ Edicolor card 4.555, heavily aged on the back. The photo also includes Torre de los Ingleses. Grade: 3